Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak said in the legislature’s hemicycle Tuesday that police officers will be assigned a number of body-worn cameras to use on a trial basis in the first quarter of next year.
Wong made the remarks when answering a question from appointed lawmaker-cum-businessman Ma Chi Seng, on the last day of a two-day Q&A session about his portfolio’s policy guidelines for next year.
According to the Macau Post Daily, Ma questioned whether the police will buy body cameras for its officers.
Wong replied that the Public Security Police (PSP) has already bought a number of wearable cameras for its officers and that they have meanwhile been delivered to Macau.
Wong said that the police planned to assign the body cameras to its officers to use on a trial basis in the first quarter of next year. He added that if the trial run shows that body cameras can help police officers in their law enforcement work, the public security forces will buy a large number of such video cameras.
Wong said he believed that body cameras can ensure the safety of police officers and ensure that their law enforcement work always adheres to official standards.
Wong also said that the police were consulting the Personal Data Protection Office (GPDP) whether police officers’ use of body cameras may breach the protection of privacy.
Wong was quick to add he believes that it will be alright for body cameras to be used in Macau eventually bearing in mind that the Hong Kong police are already using such devices
